Compare towns
Marlow vs Hanover vs Stoddard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marlow has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
Hanover has the most people working from home (26.4%).
Stoddard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Marlow | Hanover | Stoddard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 855Lowest |
11,685Highest |
1,072 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+11.5%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 52.8±11.7 22% above NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
53±4Highest 22% above NH |
| Stoddard and Marlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Marlow and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±5.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Marlow and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.2Lowest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
3.5%±1.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,455±$12k 12% above NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$94,904±$11kLowest 4% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,400±$49kLowest 19% below NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$330,300±$20k 18% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,154±$160 23% below NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$895±$751Lowest 40% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,826 13% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$4,316Lowest 35% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.2%±95.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.6%±100 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
4.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6% NH: 72.8% |
73.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
34 min 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 0.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
9.5%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #1 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Marlow School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Stoddard School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hanover High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.